The Machine Beauty of Bionics and Design

MIT professor Hugh Herr lost both of his legs in a tragic climbing accident when he was just seventeen. Today he is head of the MIT Biomechatronics Group where he develops highly advanced cutting edge prosthetic limbs in an effort to;”advance technologies that promise to accelerate the merging of body and machine. His methods encompass a diverse set of scientific and technological disciplines, from the science of bio-mechanics and biological movement control to the design of bio-medical devices for the treatment of human physical disability. ” Source MIT. Herr believes; “there is no such thing as a disabled person, there are only disabled technologies”. Unlike biological limbs Herr’s bionic limbs are upgradable and adaptable to a wide range of needs and environments. In this TED talk, Herr imagines a world where human limitations can be overcome through technological innovation.

“Give me a place to stand and a lever long enough and I will move the world” Archimedes, 220 BC